Kenya Journal

Historically, Marula Oilbeen used for hundreds of years by women in Africa to reduce stretch marks, heal minor burns and scars, to soothe redness, swelling and irritation, as well as a highly valued moisturizer nurturing beautiful, radiant skin.

And today, science is supporting the time-tested benefits of Marula Oil!It is recognized as one of the most powerful all natural anti-aging moisturizing oils due to its high concentrations of Omega 7 and 9 fatty acids and antioxidant levels, all of which are key to fighting free-radicals and aiding moisture retention to better reduce the signs of aging.

The nuts are slowly sun-dried, naturally concentrating the oil prior to extraction. The hard outer shells are individually split by hand; each kernel is removed and inspected for freshness, discarding any of poor quality. The oil-rich ivory coloured kernels are pressed through our unique, proprietary cold-pressing system.

The fruit pulp is used to make jams and juice. The shells are used as a natural fertilizer, and the protein rich seedcake used an an organic, vegetarian food additive. Nothing goes to waste.

Hi, I’m Kathy, part of the US-based TLC team that visited our Kenya operations in March.

My Kenyan colleague Anne and I spent a day visiting Oltumusoi Primary School which serves the local Maasai community. In the 10 years since the school began with a handful of students, it has now grown to 200+ students. Through the sales of our Beads for Learning bracelets, The Leakey Collection pays for teacher salaries at the school. This year we are funding 5 of the 15 teachers.

In Kenya, parents must pay tuition fees for each child to attend school. The students standing in this class all have parents who work for The Leakey Collection. Earning money so their children can attend school is the top financial motivation for most of our women artisans.

Almost all of the children are the first generation in their families to learn to read or attend school. In this 8th grade class, I asked if any of their parents had attended school and only this single boy stood up. The children are taught in English and Swahili and are trilingual (including their mother language of Maa) by primary graduation.

The challenge of balancing traditional gender roles with preparing for a changing future makes it especially difficult to keep girls in school as they become teenagers. Our Beads for Girls Graduation bracelets fund mentorship programs to support girls in pursuing their educational goals.

In the upper grades I said a few words to the girls, reinforcing that they are just as capable as the boys to continue on to secondary school (equivalent to our high school) and even a university. They were surprised to hear that more women than men attend universities in the US.

Children as young as 4 can begin attending the pre-school class where they become familiar with the learning environment. Here they sing Heads-Shoulders-Knees-and-Toes, a song that unites children across the globe.

We walked home with the lower primary students who are dismissed after the school-provided lunch. These young children walk 8-10 miles each day to attend school. Truly inspirational!

March and April signify the return of warm weather! And with warm weather comes the urge to travel. Whether it’s a Spring Break trip, planning a summer vacation, or enjoying a stay-cation, most of us share the same goals – to explore our world!

Henry Miller said, “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things” so even if you won’t have the opportunity to physically visit these top Dream Trips, you have the chance to experience them through a Style To Go Zulugrass set INSPIREDby them!

Here are 4 of the top Spring destinations:

1) The Cherry Blossom Festival: Whether in Washington, D. C. or in Japan, the blooming of the Cherry Trees is a much-anticipated Springtime event. “Each year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC. The gift and annual celebration honor the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan and the continued close relationship between the two countries.” Click here to find out more about this great springtime celebration.

2) Biking in Amsterdam- “There are over 800,000 bicycles in Amsterdam. That’s more bikes than people! Cycling in Amsterdam is a way of life, made easier by the city’s unbeatable network of bike paths, cycle routes and flat landscape. Amsterdam regularly comes out on top in lists of the world’s most cycle-friendly cities, and there’s no finer way to explore the city’s streets, canals, and attractions than by pedal power.” Click here to learn how you can experience this world-famous bike culture.

3) Snorkeling in St. Croix- Did you know that “Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, the Knights of Malta, Denmark and the United States all played a role in its past and brought their influence to the native Arawak and Carib peoples” in U.S. Virgin Islands? Get inspired by reading about this gorgeous location here.

4) Safari at Ndutu – This one may not be on the top Spring list, but for members of The Leakey Collection team in the U.S., it’s a DREAM TRIP! We’re going to Kenya to visit our East African team PLUS a safari at Ndutu! Watch for posts and updates this Spring from our amazing trip! If you want to start dreaming and learn about this incredible World Heritage Site in Tanzania, click here.

October is Fair Trade Month! As members of the Fair Trade Federation, we are dedicated to 360° fair trade. 360° means we work with artisans in partnerships built on trust. It means good wages, safe working conditions, environmental responsibility, and more. It means our partners are empowered to build strong businesses for their families today – and for generations to come. Do you have any misconceptions about Fair Trade?

Myth: Fair trade is about paying developed world wages in the developing world.

Reality: Wages are designed to provide fair compensation based on the true cost of production, and are not based on North American wage standards. Fair wages are determined by a number of factors, including:

The amount of time, skill, and effort involved in production

Minimum and living wages where products are made

The purchasing power in a community or area

Other costs of living in the local context

Myth: Fair trade siphons off American jobs to other countries.

Reality: Fair trade seeks to improve the lives of the poorest of the poor who frequently lack alternative sources of income. Most fair trade craft products stem from cultures and traditions which are not represented in North American production.

Myth: Fair trade is anti-globalization.

Reality: International exchange lies at the heart of fair trade. 360° Fair Trade Organizations seek to maximize the positive elements of globalization that connect people, communities, and cultures through products and ideas. At the same time, they seek to minimize the negative elements that result in lower labor, social, and environmental standards which hide the true costs of production.

Myth: Fair trade is a form of charity.

Reality: 360° fair trade promotes positive and long-term change through trade-based relationships which build self-sufficiency. Its success depends on independent, successfully-run organizations and businesses–not on handouts. While many fair trade organizations support charitable projects in addition to their work in trade, the exchange of goods remains the key element of their work.

Everyday when I wake up and meet with my Maasai sisters, they all have the same one question – “have you told the people back home about the bracelets so we can get more orders?”Beadwork here is like hitting the gold mine, but it isn’t possible without orders coming in. The women, if not beading, usually work extracting the centers of the Marula seeds for oil or work in the shamba (garden/farm), but I haven’t seen the same sense of community and joy than when these women are beading together. The Maasai are known for wearing beautifully ornate beads all over their bodies, and they grew up beading, so for them it’s just second nature. Like when you and your friends get together and make friendship bracelets or go to camp and make lanyards. Sitting amongst them when they get an order is wonderful. On the haziest of days, they can lighten the sky by singing and gossiping and being together, doing what they love. Many women have told me that they didn’t really have much of a social life before work because they would stay home all day sitting around waiting to milk their cows. These women so enjoy being able to come together and work with their friends while making money to sustain their new and improved lifestyles. Women are women all over the world, and we need to help our sisters out. What better way than to do a little shopping? I order my beads to give as gifts, to flaunt on my wrists, ankles and neck, and even to decorate my room.

So many people want to change the world, and this is one way we can start a ripple effect of change. Fair Trade has saved these women, and with a simple order, you can be a part of all this amazingness!

**Fair Trade Fairy

We thank you for following along with us on Piper’s (aka Fair Trade Fairy) experience in East Africa. It’s been so enjoyable reading her fresh perspective as she learned more about the reality of Fair Trade and got to personally know some of the women whose lives have improved well beyond what most of us can even imagine! Although you may not be able to meet these women and their families in person, you have the chance to get to know them a little as we continue with our ongoing updates on our Your Purchase Powerpage! If you haven’t met Naesupat yet, make sure you click here. Stop by often as we will be changing information frequently!

Now that I have been here for some time, getting to know the ladies and understanding not only their work lives, but also their personal lives, by going to visit their homes and having casual conversation over tea and biscuits, I have truly experienced how much development has come from Fair Trade. Since I never saw what life was like before, I obviously can’t paint a picture for you reader, but what I can say is that I’ve felt the emotion behind the stories these women so graciously were willing to share with me. I’ve felt their defeat but was lifted once more by their tales of independence and success. I’ve bit back tears when they are speaking of life before they had the opportunity of work. I’ve beamed with them as they proudly display their success and their hope for the future.

The success here isn’t like the success back home. When we think of success, we think of having a good office job with a nice house, nice car, latest fashion, and happy family. When the women here think of success, they think of having their kids, especially their girls, finishing school. They think of being able to purchase the kind of food they like and the clothes they think are pretty. They think of eating a balanced meal and a healthy lifestyle. They think of having confidence in knowing they have control over their lives. These women know they are successful when more people start working because they are jealous of the working women’s lives improving. Their meaning of success is so much more than money – it’s a way of life that wouldn’t be possible if not for the work that developed in their community.

**Fair Trade Fairy**

New strand-naming contest on Facebook and Instagram. Winner will be chosen by random so check our feed to find out what you need to do! Don’t forget to check out Fair Trade Fairy’s designs – the Pied Piper Collectionand the rest of The Leakey Collection’s jewelry – and be involved in the success for these women! Your purchase matters.

It’s one thing hearing about something incredible, but seeing it, that’s when your view changes completely. After interviewing a few women around the workshop here and at the shamba (where they grow fruits and produce), I’ve learned that Fair Trade has literally saved their lives. I didn’t know how to approach the interviews, unsure exactly what to ask so I decided to ask some open ended questions that the women would be able to build off of to help me understand what I should be asking and just to help me understand the change that has gone on here. I would ask the typical “How long have you worked here” and “what exactly do you do” first, followed by asking how their life has changed from before they had work to now, how their views of themselves have altered and where they saw themselves in five years. Their responses both broke my heart yet filled it with hope.

All the women here (besides a few young ones) had zero independence before being able to work. Not in the way they dressed, not in what they could eat, not even how to take care of their children. Everything was somewhat planned for them. The control laid in the hands of their husbands, which in some cases was almost lethal. Not because the husbands wanted to harm to their women, but mostly because they didn’t understand the proper needs of these women and what they valued and wanted. I had many women tell me that before they were able to have jobs, they were hopeless and lacked self confidence, feeling defeated by the world they lived in. But once they had this small control on their lives, it avalanched into control of their whole entire beings. It really struck me how much Fair Trade has helped them when one woman said with her head held high, “I was able to go from nothing to something.”

**Fair Trade Fairy**

See Your Purchase Power in Action! As part of our continuing feature where you get to know some of our entrepreneurial partners, read part of an interview that Fair Trade Fairy conducted with Kimere Nkuruna here. And watch the video introducing Kimere and Naesupat here. Come back often to find out exactly what they had to say in their videos. Make sure you also check out Fair Trade Fairy’s designs – the Pied Piper Collection. There’s a new strand this week!

I didn’t know what to expect when I stepped into the little airplane that would took me to where Katy and Philip Leakey live and work. I was actually advised not to have expectations, which helped me a lot once I arrived. It allowed my brain to be a sponge and soak up everything around me. Coming from Malibu California, a hub of capitalism, and venturing out to the bush of Africa to study Fair Trade, the only thing I did know was that it would be an adventure.

I spent my first few days just observing and meeting the people, getting a feel for the community. Anne (a brilliant woman who is my bridge into the community) and Katy (my guide for basically everything else who has taught me many amazing things last week, yesterday, today, and probably everyday following) have both described Fair Trade in their own words and how it has changed the community here. What I have gathered, so far, is that it is a system where people (both the business and the entrepreneurs) work together to figure out a just or *fair* system in which to work and earn money, basically to “create their own realities.” The work they put in is reciprocated through what they gain, and it’s not just money – it’s much more than that. The people working are able to have healthcare, educate their kids and provide for their families. I’m excited to interview people and see what they have to say so I can better understand this *magical* system!

We’re excited to introduce Piper Hays! Everyone on The Leakey Collection Team who has met Piper, both in East Africa and Southern California, has been delighted by her passion and enthusiasm! A deep mutual respect and friendship with the Maasai artisans developed during her 5 week visit with the Leakeys in the Rift Valley to learn about Fair Trade. Over the next month or so, we will be sharing Piper’s insights through her guest blog, as well as her perspective through photos and interview videos with the people whose lives are positively impacted by our Fair Trade partnership with them. Piper even designed a special Zulugrass collection that we are featuring on our website! Check out the Pied Piper Collection here! Prepare to be just as delighted as we are!

In her second year at the University of San Francisco, Piper is studying communications, anthropology, and German. Along with her interest in travel and learning about different cultures, Piper is an accomplished musician! She sings and plays 4 instruments: guitar, mandolin, piano, and even the ukulele which she took to Kenya and used to bond musically with her new friends. She has a love for all-things-glitter and is never without her Fairy Glitter bottle, blessing those she meets with a little application because “everybody needs to shine.” She now proclaims herself the Fair Trade Fairy! Make sure you check back each week to read her blogs and for a surprise contest!

We’ve shared some information about Katy and Philip’s sustainable lifestyle before. They’ve been growing their own vegetables and fruits, along with tilapia farming and honey harvesting, etc. for quite a while. But over the past few years, they’ve branched out into big-time farming with their Maasai partners, along with processing food items!

Last summer Katy shared one of her special recipes – her Chia Seed Salad Dressing - that uses items from their harvest. Make sure you check out the link, then scroll down for a new recipe using healthy, farm fresh ingredients!

On the Olkerii Farm, they have fruit trees: figs, pineapples, papaya, and pomegranates. Along other fruits and chia, the farm grows vegetables such as tomatoes, chard, shallots, and more! Not only do they have a thriving business selling the crops but also produce such food items as jams and chutneys! What a remarkable work opportunity in East Africa! In addition, the importance of a good healthy diet is taught through a program partially supported by the sales of Beads for Healthy Gardens. This is one of many things YOU support with your purchases, and through 7/21/16 you can Buy One and Get a Second One Half Off for a friend!

Try this SUMMER QUINOA AND FRESH VEGGIE SALAD WITH HONEY-SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE and let us know how it turns out!

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE HONEY-SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE:

½ c. freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ c. rice vinegar

2 T. honey

½ c. minced shallots

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2/3 c. olive oil

FOR THE SALAD:

1 c. uncooked red quinoa

2 c. chopped English cucumber

2 c. halved grape tomatoes

1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped

raw kernels cut from 2 large ears of sweet corn

3 green onions, chopped

¼ c. fresh chopped parsley

¼ c. fresh chopped mint

Fresh Spinach and/or Spring Mix

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE HONEY-SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE:

Combine lemon juice, rice vinegar, honey, shallots, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Let sit while preparing the rest of the salad. When ready to serve the salad, add the olive oil to the vinaigrette mixture, mix and add to salad.

FOR THE SALAD:

Prepare quinoa according to package directions and allow to cool completely.

In a large bowl, fold together cooked and cooled quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, sweet corn, green onions. Drizzle about ¾ cup of the honey-shallot vinaigrette over the salad mixture and fold to combine. Then fold in the parsley and mint.

Place a layer of the Spring Mix and/or Baby Spinach Blend on a platter. Spoon salad mixture over the greens and use additional black pepper and mint if desired.